Title: The Maze Runner
Author: James Dashner
I will freely admit that I am not your normal book nerd. I don't typically read the first book of a trilogy the moment it is released. The reason? I CANNOT wait patiently for the next book to come. It is a terrible weakness and it does keep me behind in the trends when it comes to all the wonderful sequel or trilogy types of reads. I prefer to wait until all of the story is written and released, have all the books right in front of me, then dive in. So it is that I am just now reading The Maze Runner books.
On to the story, Thomas is thrust into a strange and confusing world called the Glad with his memories wiped away by WICKED and his only friend an outcast trickster newbie. Immediately after Thomas' arrival, things begin to change and an urgency is felt among all the Gladers. Teresa, the first girl to be sent to the Glade, has a mysterious connection to Thomas and they must solve the Maze in order to escape the Grievers, horrible creatures who inhabit the maze at night and seek to kill the boys, one each day.
In our class PowerPoints, the Boys & Books PowerPoint especially applies to this book. In considering Brozo’s Male Archetypes, I see Thomas as the Patriarch, modeling responsibility, nobility, caring, and self-sacrifice for the other boys. For example, when he throws himself through the maze doors just as they are closing for the night because two boys were hurt and were not going to make it back to the safety of the Glade for the night. Thomas broke the rules, but could not bear the thought of leaving those boys out in the Maze alone. He did what he thought was right at that moment, even though it might have meant sacrificing himself.
The School Library Journal recommends this book for grades 6-10. I also recommend following James Dashner on Twitter! He is very active. Following authors and illustrators on twitter is a fun way to get a glimpse into their lives and sometimes they will post about their writing process or upcoming books! Check him out at @jamesdasher
Reference: Brozo, William (2010). To be a boy, to be a reader: Engaging teen and preteen boys in active literacy 2nd ed.
I absolutely loved "The Maze Runner"!! I suggest it to family and friends when they are book-empty.
ReplyDeleteI have have been wanting to read this book and your blog made me want to read it 10x more! It just seems so interesting! I will definitely look at Dashner on Twitter! I follow John Green and I agree it is very interesting to see what they are working on.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of this book before, but it sounds very good! I like hearing about books that I can tell my students about, especially boys since I am not as familiar with books they like. Thank you for sharing!
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